Trade rumor season is officially hitting its peak, as speculation from fans and reporters alike is coming to life. Maybe the true peak came when ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that a back-to-back Cy Young winner is “gonna be traded.” That one-liner alone spun the baseball world in a frenzy, over a single pitcher.
However, as the big chips got noisier, so did almost every middle-of-the-pack club. The Minnesota Twins surprisingly came out as buyers, and quickly proved it, acquiring one of the top relievers on the market in A.J. Minter from the Mets. Conversely, we now know for sure where the messy Mets are headed.
The Los Angeles Angels appear the most involved they’ve been since their 2023 Shohei Ohtani dilemma, under new GM John Mozeliak. The Colorado Rockies find themselves at a crossroads with high-value young pieces that could accelerate their rebuild, or warrant massive trade value. The San Diego Padres are walking a tightrope, winning five of six to momentarily claw their way out of sellers’ territory. Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks find themselves in striking territory, just a year after dealing three massive chips to the AL West.
There’s a ton to break down, and really no better place to start than with the Skubal sweepstakes.
Tarik Skubal: Detroit’s asking price, and the suitors
Detroit’s opening bid is reportedly “two top 100 prospects”, a tricky price considering that not all teams even possess two farmhands on the Top 100 lists. However, the Tigers’ ask shouldn’t be taken so literally. Given the Tigers’ success in recent years, paired with their weaker division, it’s very possible that Detroit could receive a MLB-ready piece in the package.
Arms like the Dodgers’ Emmett Sheehan or the Braves’ Hurston Waldrep could ease the immediate roster hole, while still serving as young projects. Pairing a young major leaguer with a high-rank prospect could be the perfect mix for the Tigers’ competitive window.
Early on, the Dodgers are the frontrunner by all sources, and for simple reason. Los Angeles wields arguably the league’s best farm system, but are missing two key starters in Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. The other top farm system, held by Milwaukee, has all the pieces to compete with the Dodgers in a bidding war.
However, the Brewers have noted that they “are not going to include Jesús Made” in any Skubal deal. So, it looks as if the current No. 1 prospect in baseball will not be on the move. However, Milwaukee’s system is plenty deep to make a deal without Made in the package.
Several other squads have called in on Skubal, including the Braves, Rays, and Cubs. The Phillies and Yankees make sense as well, and at this time, we can only wait to hear who’s pushing the hardest.
Is Freddy Peralta the other lock to find a new home?
The Mets’ early dealing of left-hander A.J. Minter fanned the flames around Freddy Peralta, a name that is growing on clubs by the day. On one hand, Peralta is eyeing his worst season ERA as a starting pitcher. On the other hand, former Brewers ace “Fastball Freddy” appears black-market cheap to anybody who needs a competent starter.
Per The Athletic’s Will Sammon, both the Padres and Diamondbacks had scouts in attendance for Peralta’s start last Sunday. Meanwhile, a potential return to the Brewers stalled out, as did a deal to the Chicago White Sox most recently. With Peralta scheduled to start Friday night at home, his market could get even hotter with a vintage outing.
Freddy Peralta is fired up after getting a strikeout to end the top of the 5th pic.twitter.com/M1Krap7fZS
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 25, 2026
Do the Yankees have a deadline plan?
The New York Yankees have been, frankly, a feel-bad story ever since Aaron Judge hit the shelf. Their offense has tumbled, falling from one of the league’s most feared units to a hot mess. Their worst at-bat is coming from the catcher position, where Austin Wells has slumped to a .162 batting average over nearly 250 plate appearances.
As you would figure, the Yankees have been all over the catcher market. In fact, they’ve virtually created their own catcher market, reportedly pursuing Hunter Goodman, Adley Rutschman, Ryan Jeffers, Tyler Stephenson, and “many other catchers” according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Beyond that, the possibility of a Mason Miller megadeal has been floated, although with little substance. Fox’s Ken Rosenthal noted that a move for San Diego’s Adrian Morejon or Wandy Peralta may be more likely than the star closer.
A big swing for a needle-moving shortstop (Zach Neto, Jeremy Peña) could be the shock of the deadline. However, the Yankees’ well-documented dedication to Anthony Volpe strongly limits the possibility of this approach.
The sneaky Hunter Greene market
One report from ESPN’s Buster Olney may flip the starting pitching market on its head. On the Just Baseball Show, Olney said “I’m hearing Hunter Greene is available. I was told by one source it’s 50/50 that he gets traded this week.”
Greene’s availability could sway the Dodgers away from Skubal and force a domino effect on the market. The Reds’ flamethrower holds 2 1/2 years of control, with a club option to reach 3 1/2. Compared to Skubal’s half-year rental outlook, Greene is clearly the more valuable piece.
If Los Angeles swayed from Skubal to snatch up Hunter Greene, the Brewers could end up with the Detroit ace. However, given the Reds’ growing core, it’s very possible that Greene won’t be available at all.
Is Mason Miller actually going to be available?
Every basic indication says that the Padres wouldn’t even consider dealing their All-Star closer. The bullpen has been the catalyst for their back-to-back trips to the Postseason. Towards the end of July, their offense is heating up and the ‘need’ for Miller’s duties is becoming more frequent. Controllable through 2029, Miller looks the part of the next great Padres’ closer.
However, there are two factors that favor trading the right-hander. First off, Miller’s value has only gone north since joining the brown and gold. Last summer, GM AJ Preller sent a monster package to acquire Miller— who owned a mid-3 ERA at the time. This time around, Miller owns a 0.79 ERA while leading the National League in saves. It’s very possible that Miller could warrant the same package, even with one less year of control.
There’s a slim chance Miller moves, but a sudden skid could nudge AJ Preller to get creative. As it stands, the Brewers are the most well-equipped team to land Miller, but such a move wouldn’t align with their philosophy of developing their own pitching.
The other Tigers’ starter on the move
While all noise centers on Skubal, he’s not the only key starter that the Tigers could move. Casey Mize is also on an expiring deal, and pitching to an impressive 2.70 ERA that several contenders could use. It’s possible that Mize could leave Detroit even before Skubal does, given that his return package would be far more simple.
The biggest indicator favoring Mize’s trade outlook actually came from the team itself. The righty was scratched from his start tonight, and would make his next start after the trade deadline on Monday.
While that could seem like an inevitable trade is coming, there’s a little more behind the move. Two starts ago, Mize departed in the fifth inning due to a groin issue. In his most recent start, his average fastball velocity dipped down to 91.9 mph for the start. Compared to his 93.5 mph average fastball for the season, the dip is certainly a part of the decision.
Where’s the (possibly unofficial) batting champ headed?
Earlier this month, we highlighted Luis Arraez as the most likely bat to be traded at the deadline. While that much hasn’t changed, no team has publicly surfaced as a favorite or even a contender. The current thought is that most contenders are in on Arraez, although one would expect some specific names to arise in such a bidding war.
Tampa Bay makes the most sense, as they’ve seen poor production from the second base position. Arraez is very vocal about his desire to play second base, and when he has, the production has followed suit. The Texas Rangers also line up well, and have been linked to Arraez throughout July.
However, more ambitious clubs could end up outbidding Texas and Tampa. Look out for the Phillies or even the Yankees if they go outside the box.
Regardless of team, it would become an interesting storyline if San Francisco moved him to an American League club. Currently leading all of baseball in batting average (.328), Arraez would lose eligibility to win the AL batting title. If he goes on to lead the Major Leagues, Luis Arraez could quite possibly have a better batting average than both the AL and NL batting champions.
Luis Arráez al bate, Luis Arraéz conecta triple. pic.twitter.com/rgsb0K72aw
— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) June 2, 2026
Are any big-time bats available?
All summer, the idea of a blockbuster Yordan Alvarez trade has floated around in the fan world. The MLB Network crew chimed in as well, saying that Alvarez could be a franchise-transcendent piece for a team like the Rays or Marlins.
Some other big names have joined the hypothetical world as well, including CJ Abrams most notably. Abrams was traded as a young Padre in 2022, and it finally appears that he’s hit his stride in 2026. Now a two-time All-Star, his trade value would be immense at just 25 years old.
While it’s a fun thought, neither of these two superstars is realistically available at the trade deadline. The Astros are 55-55, but sitting just a half game behind Texas in the AL West race. Meanwhile, the Nationals’ rebuild is turning a corner after years of selling at the deadline. Therefore, neither team is feeling any motivation to move their lefty sluggers.
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